WESTFIELD, Mass. – Western Connecticut sophomore QB John Giller threw for 305 yards and three td's to lead Western Connecticut to a 34-20 win over Westfield State University in the MASCAC conference opener for both teams at Alumni Field on Friday night.
Giller's performance outdueled Owls junior QB Colby Pires, who completed 24 of 37 passes for 262 yards and two TD's.
WestConn (2-1) got on the board first with 3:07 left in the second quarter, getting a 22-yard field goal from Andrew Weidtman.
The Wolves did most of their damage in the second quarter scoring three straight TD's with a 31-yard pass from Giller to Eli KouKoulis, a 1-yard plunge from Chad Blaszky on a direct snap play, and a 35-yard scoring strike from Giller to Julian Ferguson with 3:32 left in the half.
The resilient Owls battled back, with a 9-play, 66-yard drive that was sparked by a 31-yard kick return from Michael Foley, and then a Pires-to-Foley pass later in the drive set the Owls up at the WCSU 15 yard line. Pires found Kordell Parrish on an out pattern at the 2-yard line, and then Westfield's Shane Clark plunged in from 2-yards out to cap the drive to cut the lead to 24-7.
Weidtman added a 36 yard field goal with no time left in the half to give the Wolves a 27-7 lead at the break.
Westfield (0-3) made adjustments at the half, and Pires came out firing, hitting Dylan Disabella with a 19 yard pass-and run touchdown with 11:57 left in the third quarter.
The Wolves answered with Giller finding Koukoulis with a 16 yard TD pass with 2:50 left in the third to boost the lead to 34-14, but Westfield mustered a quick 6-play, 76-yard drive that was capped when Pires scrambled and found Parrish in the right side of the end zone with eight seconds left in the third quarter, trimming the lead down to 34-20.
Neither team could score in the fourth. Westfield marched the ball to the WestConn 28-yard line early in the fourth before turning possession on downs with 8:26 left, then West Conn put together a nine-play drive that would the clock all the way down to 2:44 left before Westfield's Cameron Danahy forced a fumble on a sack of Giller. Westfield got the ball near midfield, but a quick four-and-out spelled doom for the Owls.
West Conn outgained the Owls 442-353, and held a seven-minute edge in time of possession. The Wolves garnered 23 first downs to Westfield's 20.
Pires highly efficient day passing with 24 completions matched the third-best single game total in Owls history. Foley finished with five catches for 85 yards, while Jordan Smith caught six balls out of the backfield for 58 yards.
Defensively, Tyler Cooley led Westfield with 13 tackles. Danahy added six stops, including the big sack/fumble play. Alec Rodriguez recovered the fumble with a 12-yard return.
WestConn was led by nine tackles from Jaedan Alexander. Nosa Uzamere added eight tackles, and forced and recovered a fumble.
Blaszky finished with 107 yards on the ground for the Wolves, while Ferguson caught five balls for 107 yards.
Westfield will be back in action at home next weekend, hosting Framingham State for a 2:00 p.m. kickoff as part of Family and Champions Weekend on campus.